Rock Band guitar patch soon

Harmonix has finished work on a patch for the PlayStation 3 version of Rock Band which adds compatibility with existing guitar controllers. Like the Guitar Hero ones, everyone hopes.

The patch "addresses a number of items related to guitar controller compatibility", a Harmonix bod on the official forum explained. "The update will be downloaded once the game is started."

The slightly bad news is that the patch doesn't appear to have been made available yet, despite Harmonix's confidence that it was done and ready and, indeed, deployed. The developer has now locked the relevant discussion thread while it waits to find out what's going on.

Still, when it does pitch up, it will mean that those of you in the US who have the PS3 version of Rock Band, or those who have imported it, will be able to introduce a second guitar-playing friend to the band.

Up to now that has only been possible on PS3 by acquiring a second Rock Band Fender Stratocaster controller, which meant either buying another full Rock Band bundle, including drums and microphone, or finding a friend with one.

The Xbox 360 version is already compatible with existing Guitar Hero guitars.